GM Blood's Age of Worms in Golarion #2

Game Master David James Olsen

I'll be bowing out as RL has pushed it's way in.

And good gaming

I will DMPC Ingrid until the next logical point.

Tohall, let me know if you still intend to change characters to a different cleric at that time, or if you would like to play something else.

Also I will take recommendations from you guys if you know of anyone that would be a good fit to fill in the sixth slot.

Just sent you a private message.

To summarize though I am still fine with playing a cleric. I have changed the concept a little bit and am still looking forward to playing this newer character. A human cleric of Sarenrae with Sun and Healing domains.

If you'll notice here, it appears that I've been running with my HP as determined for level 3. Yea. What the heck. So my HP will be jumping alot. Man, I feel stupid.

EDIT: Hmm, I've also been cheating myself out of 1 bomb/day. Audit time!!

LEVEL UP Up up!!!

Class Alchemist 4 -> 5
HP 38 -> 1d4 + 44 ⇒ (4) + 44 = 48
Tiefling FC Alchemist Bomb Damage +2 -> +2.5

New extracts/formulaes
1st 3+1 -> 4+1
2nd 1+1 -> 2+1
Lesser Restoration

Alchemist Abilities
Bomb Damage 2d6 -> 3d6
Anaesthetic

Feats
Precise Shot
Skill Focus (Heal) [i]Bonus from Chirurgeon

Skills
Use Magic Device 4 > 5
Craft (Alchemy) 4 > 5
Perception 4 > 5
Disable Device 4 > 5
Knowledge (Arcana) 4 > 5
Knowledge (Nature) 4 > 5
Spellcraft 3 > 5

Ok, let me know what people think. Witches have some interesting spells. I am thinking as follows:

Feat: Extra Hex - Misfortune (I would love Fly, but can wait for next level.)
--> There are a number of normal feats that would be useful as well - Improved Init, etc., but I think that the additional hex is more useful at this point.

Going forward:
Level 6 - Flight Hex
Level 7 - Improved Familiar (Lyrakien)

Spells:
Rain of Frogs
Ray of Exhaustion

--> Rain of Frogs requires concentration, but could be very useful in the right circumstances. Ray of Exhaustion is a great debuff when we meet the BBEG.

Skills - TBD - Spellcraft, Perception, and a few others.

I would not wait for fly, it is so useful. Your two spells add so much that misfortune is now less of an improvement to all your capabilities than fly--a huge mobility improvement. To use a math term, fly is more orthogonal than misfortune.

Yeh, right now I really wish that I had taken Misfortune before and not Fortune. Rain of Frogs is awesome, but requires a standard action, so I will have to use this when I have already hexed people.

I disagree. Fortune on Justin allows him to reroll UMD, an attack, a crit confirm. With a two handed weapon, it makes him amazing when he gets his iterative attack. The fortune buff is more useful to add to the sleep must have hex than misfortune.

Given you have sleep, fortune is more orthogonal than misfortune.

Should be updated to level 5 now. (Ranger).

Went with Undead for the favoured enemy, and *did* take Improved Bull Rush for the combat flexibility (and the sheer snazziness that comes when I pick up shield slam at 7).

Also, considering the terrain issues we're having, my brand new spell slot will be feather step. ;)

My clever plan of increasing combat ability with a level of (urban?) barbarian in one or two levels is undone by the dwarven tendency towards lawful (I went LG instead of NG at creation)

Heh - I discovered a cool new Prestige class if you are a ranger with an animal companion.

Mammoth Rider - you end up with a huge strong mount. Combine this with a Lion or Tiger (cat(large)), with improved natural weapon feat and you have a serious damage capable companion.

hp: 1d5 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Leveled too. Waiting to meet my splendiferous mount.

Forgot it is 1/2 roll + 1/2 in this campaign.

HP:1d3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Ok, exactly what I rolled before. C'est la vie.

Will level up tonight when I can access PCGen (new policies block me from doing it here even over lunch, sadly)

Out of curiosity what are the policies? PCGen will run on a 2gb flash drive so you don't have to load it onto your system (which of course wouldn't help if you can't run Java).

Of course if you can't carry flash drives into your workspace that kind of kills that idea also.

It's the latter. I used to run it off a flashdrive.

For Leveling...

Cleric 4 to Cleric Level 5
Hit Points: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 +31 = 38
Gained Channel Energy increase to 3d6
Spells 3rd level 1 +1 wisdom +1 domain
Feat: Extra Channel
Skills +4 ranks in spellcraft

Justin -- I'm sure your new mount will be waiting next to my critter when we get out of here. ;)

Kilthan - you have an animal companion? I thought from your character sheet that you went with the companions choice for Hunter's Bond.

No, it meant to be a companion of the animal variety. Small cat, in fact, but we haven't gotten there yet --- ah, I see what I put on the sheet that would cause confusion. [Technically, both choices would be "companion" -- it's just "animal" or "hunting"] I'll make it more clear.

Yep you will have time after Chapter 2 is over (almost there!) to get things like that.

By the way, where did Nylanfs come from? :)

Is everyone upgraded?

By the way, where did Nylanfs come from? :)

Is everyone upgraded?

Lol - good question. Either a stalker or someone doing searches on PC Gen. He seems to have a pile of posts related to character generation programs.

I am set. Just for clarification. We get the new spells immediately - in my case 2 level 3 spells, and any other leveling abilities (more rounds of performance for a bard, uses of abilities, lay on hands, etc.). We just do not gain benefits for rest, rememorizing spells, etc.

You get the empty spell slots and any abilities/extra uses per day automatically. (like channels, lay on hands, etc)

You can spend 15 minutes and fill in the new slots if available. In this case you have the time. In future level ups you may not. (Like when you made level 4 you were in pursuit of the tengu and didn't have the time to get your new spells)

Kilthan's ready to go.

My only internal debate is Improved Bullrush (as it says on the sheet presently) vs. Boon Companion (which may not be immediately useful, but if I don't take it now.... well, it's foolish to not take Shield Slam at 7th, so I wouldn't see it 'til 9th -- which is pretty far away).

I think Nylanfs is *with* the PCGen team -- and likely got here by searching for the term. But that's a guess.

OK, tomorrow I will start up the action again so if anyone has some issues deciding you have until then.

I have a home game to run tonight, but I will try and upgrade Ingrid's stats the best I can for the next couple of fights.

Take Boon companion, otherwise you have a one hit death companion for several levels.

GM Blood - sorry I reasked that question. I think you actually had answered it a few days ago and I forgot you said that we would have enough time to rest/fill in the new spell slots for Tohall and myself.

I am ready to go as I have already memorized the new spells (unless we get attacked before 15 minutes are up in which case I will not use the new spells.

You are good for a 15 minute rest or so, a long term rest you will not be

I think you're right, Aara. I'll change it now.

The +2 on the shield slams will be nice, but this way I get a companion that's not just a speed bump -- and I can shield slam *without* the +2 bonus from improved at level 7 and 8 (...and still not provoke. Shield Slam is a nice feat...)

Plus, Boon's +4 bonus means that if I *do* dip into another class, the companion won't suffer. (Well, a 1-level dip, anyway)

Crud! I just took 6 hp -- forgot the whole 1d5 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 thing.

So, that's 8 + 3 (con) + 1 (favoured class) = 12, rather than the 10 I put down.

As was mentioned that we would not likely be able to get enough rest of at least an 8 hour period... with the new 3rd level spells, one such spell that Tohall memorized, Nap Stack would reduce that time to 2 hours. Would that make resting a possibility?

Of course if we are supposed to be as low as we are on resources (spells and the like) then I suppose it would be.

Was just a thought though. If not, it is one of the first spells to convert to healing.

The problem is not so much the 8 hours, but that you can only cast a certain number of spells per day. The two hours are useful, but really, that spell is good if one is chasing the enemy and wants to only rest for a short period. Even if we had two full hours to rest in the hope that no Lamashtu worshippers show up, I do not think that we could regain our spells.

I like the thought, but there are other spells that could be more useful. Chain of Perdition is fun. Dispel Magic is always reliable. Prayer could be very useful in a big fight.

Ah ok, i didn't read that carefully enough. so no spells from that. so no sense testing at this point better to press on

Hey everyone, when you get through the next couple of battle and return to town, DM- Voice of the Voiceless is going to be your new 6th player! Most of you are probably familiar with him either playing with or in one of his awesome games!

Spend the next couple of weeks coming together to figure out a good fit for him to play. (Both by what he would like to do and what you think you need)

I'll let them introduce their character more fully but we have

Aarakess Halcorn - Witch and former apprentice to Allustan, the most intelligent man in Diamond Point

Dryn'taka Devilschild - Tiefling Alchemist that likes to throw bombs around to the joy and sometimes pain of the party

Justin D'Rite - Lizardman paladin from the Mushfens. He was found and raised by humans after his tribe was almost wiped out by small green worms that infested their tribe's eggs.

Kilthan Hammerstone - "Dwelf" ranger with the worst luck of anyone in either race.

And last Tohall - Cleric of Erastil found in the one of the cultist temples who had been captured and interrogated. Great timing as they had previously lost their cleric to a wicked Axe blow. Tohall agreed to aid the group until such time as they could return to town. A new character will join at the same time as you and played by the same player. You two could have possible ties if you wish

Please Welcome him and help shape the party going forward!

Welcome aboard DM VoV. We have healing and melee quite well covered. Any combination of bard/cleric/oracle/sorcerer/rogue would be good. We really do not have a social face of the party, although any of these could easily fill this role.

Hello hello one and all - as GM Blood has graciously allowed I will be the fresh chum for the bucket :)

As to what to play I've got a couple of thoughts:
Carnivalist Rogue (archetype from Animal Archive) that is basically a Rogue with a bit less combat capability, but comes with a familiar that gets some bardic performance (distraction and fascinate). Would be a social / skills character that comes with some combat support capacity.

Second is a little more exotic and potentially against GM Blood's original guidelines. It would be a Yohunga from the recently released Razor Coast.
The yohunga achieves his power through contacting the spirits and forces that exist in other realms and giving them a tikiman into which they can manifest. Each tikiman is a tiny construct fabricated of wood, bone, shells, hair, and other similar materials. Using nearly forgotten rituals, a yohunga animates the tikiman by sacrificing of his own mana to seduce supernatural forces to empower it. Thus, the yohunga gains his powers by feeding these mysterious entities, while they gain the ability to experience mortality.

It's like a Summoner... but fundamentally different as well. Medium progression spellcaster with medium BAB. The tikimen can be used in combat, but are better used as support entities - blowguns and stealth and such.

If that hasn't scared off GM Blood I can put more details of it up... but don't be afraid to say no to it either :)

Apart from that - is there anything you guys desire in the way of the new member?

With the assumption that Tohall's new character will still be of the cleric-y persuasion, I'd largely second Aarakess' statement.

At the moment, the only *critical* thing we're missing is someone who can disarm magical traps (alchemists get disable device but not trapfinding), meaning something roguish would be useful.

At the same time, the frontline melee folk (well, at least half of us) would really, really enjoy the addition of a buff-tastic character.

Greetings DM- Voice of the Voiceless.

As mentioned by GM Blood, Tohall will be departing where it is appropriate to do so. The concept I have to replace him is a A human cleric of Sarenrae with ties to Allustan.

As far as I can see... having a good support character with skills would be a good benefit to the group. While there are those who can duplicate many skills, it would be helpful to have other who can as well. I like the social route of the rogue you have in mind.

I also have a love of familiars. I enjoyed my bard, in another living campaign that I used to play in, had a faerie dragon familiar. Good times there with improved familiar feat.

I am not sure that the 2nd concept would work as well.

My word... I just looked over Aarakess' skills. I was not aware just how skilled in so much she was. The joys of a high Intelligence.

I'm happy to run with the Rogue Carnivalist - as that seems to fit in.

Rogue carnivalist keeps trapfinding! We have a nice necklace of fireballs waiting for you.

that has been used up

Right - so 5th level with 25 point buy and 1 trait chosen by me, PFS style HP.

What wealth level should I build at?

Edited

6th level? Are we leveling again, cool.

Brain fart - should read 5th level.

Doh - I was hoping to get Misfortune.

Was thinking of taking ride by attack as my level 5 feat but switched to furious focus. If I had made up my mind earlier, the +2 would have helped. As Homer says: Doh!

Just a friendly heads up that from May 13th to the 17th I'll be attending a leadership conference and will have limited posting ability. Feel free to bot me during that time.

Briefly considered taking a wolpertinger for my familiar... but have reverted back to the less cool, but more functional monkey.

Just a friendly heads up that from May 13th to the 17th I'll be attending a leadership conference and will have limited posting ability. Feel free to bot me during that time.

Bah, what kind of a lame leadership conference is it if they are not providing sufficient time to keep up with important personal issues, like pbp.

Tobar: I guess the options open up a lot more at level 7. All kinds of creatures to choose from. Are you still taking the improved familiar feat?

On the HP thing, it's 1/2 die + 1/2, not PFS style.

Unless of course I missed something and have totally been cheating on my HPs.

Tohall - probably not taking Improved Familiar unless my monkey ends up biting it during the campaign.

Noted on the HP - character is slowly coming together. I browsed through people's skills and will be focusing a bit more on the social / street smart (Appraise, Sense Motive) skills so he should slot in reasonably complementarily.